Purpose: The concept of security
is related to the experience of health but has ever so often been argued from a
risk perspective rather than from a promotional perspective. The experience of
older persons’ sense of security in private homes and in nursing homes seems to
be missing when it comes to promote aging well throughout the life span. This study aimed to describe and
analyze factors related to the sense of security of older persons receiving
care in nursing homes in Sweden. Design
and Methods: The study was based on a questionnaire from a total of
495 persons aged ≥ 65 in private homes (n = 350) or nursing homes (n = 145) in
Sweden. Results: Secure relationships,
sense of control, and perceived health were significantly related to the
subjects’ sense of security. No significant relationships were found between
sense of security and having a personal emergency response alarm. Implications: Experience of
sense of security from the older person perspective differs depending on the context.
To promote the sense of security within the care of older persons,
methods on how to establish secure relations as well as the sense of control
and knowledge need to be further tested, developed and analyzed together with
older persons.

De Donder, L. (2012) Social capital and feelings of unsafety in later life: A study on the influence of social networks, place attachment and civic participation on perceived safety in Belgium. Resarch on Ageing, 34, 425- 448. doi:10.1177/0164027511433879

Yen, I. and Anderson, L. (2012) Built environment and mobility of older adults: Important policy and practice efforts. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 60, 951-956. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2012.03949.x

Petersson, P. and Blomqvist, K. (2011) Sense of security —Search in for its meaning by using stories: A particatory action research study in health and social care in Sweden. International journal of Older People Nursing, 6, 25-32. doi:10.1111/j.1748-3743.2010.00211.x

Killias, M. and Clerici, C. (2002) Different measures of vulnerability in their relations to different dimensions of fear of crime. British Journal of Criminology, 40, 437- 450. doi:10.1093/bjc/40.3.437

Szebehely, M. and Ulmanen, P. (2012) Price of the scueeze in old age care, how does this affect the middleage children? (Atstramningens pris, Hur paverkas de medelalders barnen av aldreomsorgens minskning?). Institutionen for Socialt Arbete, Stockholm.

Ministry of Social Affairs (2007) Close learning. Support to municipalities for skills and training in the care of the elderly (Socialdepartementet Att lara nara Stod till kommuner for verksamhetsnara kompetensutveckling inom omsorg och vard av aldre).

Westerberg, B. and Sundell, K. (2009) Staff training in the elderly—Will it be benefiting the elderly? An evaluation of the competence ladder, the institute for the development of methods in social work, IMS, The National Board of Health and Welfare (Personalutbildning i aldreomsorg—Blir den till nytta for de aldre? En utvardering av Kompetensstegen). Institutet for Utveckling av Metoder i Socialt Arbetet IMS, Socialstyrelsen, 126-179.

Clarke, P. and Smith, J. (2011) Aging in a cultural context: Cross-national differences in disability and the moderating role of personal control among older adults in the United States and England. Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences & Social Sciences, 66B, 457-467. doi:10.1093/geronb/gbr054

Fonad, E., Wahlin, T., Heikkila, K. and Emami, A. (2008) Moving to and living in a retirement home: Focusing on elderly people’s sense of safety and security. Journal of Housing of the Elderly, 20, 45-60.
doi:10.1300/J081v20n03_04

Otlund Gammal ar aldst (1995) Old people are the most experienced. A Study of the meaning of technology in old people’s every day life (En studie av teknik i aldre manniskors liv). Linkopings University, Linkopings.